“Thankful For” Blog #1 WARNING/NOTE: This is lengthy but meaningful to me, and may, hopefully, bring a smile to your face. If you begin reading, please read to the end. It would bring a smile to this girl’s face :)
I know Thanksgiving is the day set aside each year specifically for thankfulness. But sometimes, that particular day in November isn’t the day you really need to remind yourself what you’re thankful for. Sometimes, it’s a Tuesday afternoon…in March, or a Saturday morning…in August, or just maybe, it’s an entire month within a year. Whenever it may be, it doesn’t have to be a specified Thursday in November.
With life’s twists and turns, good and bad, I think any time is the right time to think about the good in your life and remember what you are thankful for. I’m saying this because I just figured this out myself, as a 41 year old adult. Sad, but true.
We’ve all heard the saying “isn’t life funny sometimes?” Well, no, actually. There are times or situations that I find absolutely no humor in at all. Nothing about a certain time or situation will bring the slightest smile to my face. That’s “my bad” as my darling niece, Destini Hall, so eloquently put it in the middle of a school concert. These are the times that we need to smile or laugh the most. The moment you realize that, admit to yourself that you don’t Have to feel that way, you then put the ball in your court. It’s up to you, from that point forward, to make the best of whatever life smacked you in the head with. That’s the moment you get complete control of your life back. Where it goes from there, is up to you. Only you can choose to laugh at life, put a smile on your face, or find a sliver of goodness in your situation or in a person. Only you can choose to make the best of what you feel is a bad thing.
So, think about this…
Your house pretty much floods, 6 months after sinking every penny you have and all of your blood sweat and tears into a major remodel (right down to the framing studs, sheetrock, electrical, carpeting, etc – everything but the support beams). And/or you lose power for a week, get it back, then lose it again for another week, during a freak winter storm. And/or your car finally dies, forcing you to buy a new one – fast, not having the time to shop around and ending up with something that may not be much better – at the same time your child’s college is calling for that quarters tuition, and/or… and/or… and/or… What do you do?
Human nature and society automatically tells us to feel like crap, pity one’s self, cry, say “why me?” or “this isn’t fair,” feel like giving up, or all of the above. But that’s not your only choice.
Trust me, I have picked up the phone on more than one occasion in my years and called my BFF, the most beautiful friend in the world, Traci Hall. I’ve cried, whined, yelled, bitched, and moaned, even threw a few 5 year old like tantrums. Then, when I really felt I was at wits end, I just stopped calling all together, feeling like I was burdening her or bringing her down. Way Wrong thing to do!
Having received a major slap in the face, the also ridiculous sounding old saying of “life is what you make of it,” finally has meaning – real meaning, not just some smoke to blow up someone’s hiney.
Maybe it’s maturity, maybe it’s finally letting your parents words penetrate your thick skull that previously thought it already knew everything, or maybe, this is the result of me finally snapping. No matter the reason – and no, I’m not in a straight jacket quite yet – I did do some serious thinking – having all that time alone on my hands and all, in the dark.
So here’s what I am doing now, stupid sounding or not, it’s my way of coping…since they won’t let me drink at work or kick the copy machine…
I am the sticky note queen, have them everywhere for reminders (it’s the age thing setting in, I’m sure). Well, I figure that if you can use them to remind you to pick up toilet paper and twinkies at the store, of an appointment, or that it’s almost your time of the month so you need to keep chocolate, wine, and Midol around (as well as hide all sharp objects); then why can’t you use them to remind you of at least 1 thing each day you are thankful for, 1 good thing in your life, or remind you of 1 good memory that always brings a smile to your face? Seriously, carry the sticky with you or make several – it doesn’t matter.
I am writing mine in the morning before starting my day. I stick it to my steering wheel, take it into the office to stick to my computer, take it home with me to put on the fridge – it’s my “sticky of the day.” At the end of the day, my sticky goes into a shoebox. You can have repeat stickies, just be sure to rewrite it each time on a new sticky (sorry, no recycling on this one). The sticky can have one word, one sentence, or a statement with details, whatever works for you; use any color or size of sticky that suits your need that day.
The reason for the shoebox of stickies, well, you know that time in life when some smarty pants says “ain’t life funny?” after having the worst day, week, or month of your life (so you feel)? Instead of punching that person in the gut or spewing a paragraph of colorful, creative words, go home and pull out your “sticky shoebox.” Go through each sticky note, one by one, reading them all as many times as necessary. There may come a time when that shoebox, all of those sticky notes, save your sanity, or just provide that swift kick in the backside you need at the moment, helping give you the strength and motivation you need to move forward and make the best of life… Because the ball is in your court.
As insane as it may sound, my first “I am thankful for” sticky note was: “I am thankful for sticky notes!”
Baby steps people, some of us need to take baby steps.
Even when life seems against you and beating you, you can find SOMETHING to write on your sticky note. Hey, I did, even if it was just being thankful for the stickies themselves. By the end of that first day, I looked at my sticky before placing it in the shoebox and I laughed at myself, thinking just how crazy my idea seemed. Then I realized - it worked! I just smiled for the first time that day.
“Sticky Magic” may or may not work for you, but it never hurts to give it a try. I was feeling like there was nothing left, that I was destined for a sucky, sad, worthless existence of never being able to do anything right, that my house was possessed and enjoying tormenting me, and that all of my work was for nothing. I was a waste of time and air. Then I found my sticky magic. You can create your own kind of sticky magic, or other magic. You have that control and are worth it!
Sticky Magic doesn’t “fix” your day or make you bubbly and annoyingly giddy all day. Stickies only have so much power, only as much as you allow. But think of it this way, the time you take thinking of something you are thankful for that day, the time you take to write it down, and the time you take to reread it or run it through your head several times is time you Haven’t spent dwelling on negative, sad, depressing things. Do it regularly, recite your stickies more and more each day, and you just won’t have enough time for “dwelling or stewing.” What a concept! Damn.
Several know that I enjoy posting off the wall “thoughts of the day/things to ponder/smarty pant sayings” on my twitter, facebook, and website. People have commented that some of the posts make them laugh or that they look forward to the posts each day. If you can make even 1 person smile in a day, that’s huge, and that will make you smile in turn. Ahh, the power of posting (even on a sticky note).
So, bring it on, Mother Nature. I dare you, Finances. You can’t beat me, Life and House. I have Sticky Magic and I am not afraid to use it!!!
Now, for those of you still with me, reading along, haven’t shut off our computer or called the little men in white coats to strap me down and medicate me (no matter how intriguing that may sound); I am going to post, several times a week, a few things I am thankful for (through the end of January, unless you, whoever is left, wants it to run longer). It may be people I have known, new people I have met, or that have touched my life, if only for a moment, or maybe even a thing. Hell, it may even be just what my sticky happens to say that day.
No one and no amount of Sticky Magic will make every single day glorious, wonderful, fun, or perfect. Just remember your sticky, or your shoebox, depending on the day you are having. Also remember, you are worth it, you deserve the best, and you have the power to make that happen.
Thankful For’s:
Old friend: Traci Hall (Trace, in my house).
To me, just saying her name says so much and always makes me smile. She is my Gemini twin, my BFF, my children’s Aunt Traci, though not blood related, and my backbone. She is there for me through the bestest of the best, and the worst of the worst. She didn’t give up on me when I almost gave up on myself. Feeling as if life had it out for me, I was ready to let it win, ready to give it all up, but she wouldn’t let me.
She is beautiful, inside and out, has a heart like no other, and she cannot be described to justice in words. If you ever have a chance to meet her, Do It! You will understand what I mean within the first 5 seconds. If you have a chance of actually getting to know her, you will be truly blessed. I wish there was the perfect sentence to describe this amazing woman, but even Webster and Shakespeare couldn’t come up with that.
I am no author, in case you couldn’t tell by now, but I am really good at lists. So, if I were to make a list of everything wonderful and beautiful about Traci Hall, I could fill a book, or three.
Trace inspires me, makes me a better person when I am around her, always always makes me smile, shares her life and family with me and mine, never judges, and never lets me down - even when I have her. She is genuine, sincere, and brings out the best in life.
Traci Hall is also an exceptional author of multiple genres. See, the woman has no limits!
Trace, if you read this, I am beyond thankful for you and owe you so very much! You have always been, and always will be, my Rock! I love you, Trace.
New friend: Sandy Sullivan.
Ahhh, Miss Sandy. Another person I am thankful for and lucky to have met.
Sandy Sullivan is a smart businesswoman and an extremely talented author. Very few women have her ability to make other women, and men, hot and bothered with just a few strokes… on her keyboard. (Sheesh, get your mind out of the gutter. I did state that she is an author :)
Outside of her career and obvious calling in life, Sandy is a breath of fresh air with her witty sense of humor, laid-back personality, and heart of solid gold.
Sandy is also an exceptional teacher, although, I don’t think she realizes it. Her gift, personality, down home Tennessee charm, and incredible being, make for a top rank motivator and mentor in many aspects. She makes you want to be and do your best - a blessing for all of us lucky enough to meet her, work with her, and get to know her. Sandy is the real deal.
Thank you Sandy! I appreciate you, respect you, and completely adore you.
Sticky Note for Today: “I am thankful for… FIRE”
I realize how simple and almost cheesy that sounds, but review the list below. The beginning of the list explains so much. The list came to me while at home, after Father Time royally pissed off Mother Nature while vacationing in Eastern Washington.
- FIRE creates heat, and heat helps dry carpeting – a necessity after a storm damages a roof and/or a broken pipe causes flooding in your home.
- FIRE warms water for instant coffee, sponge baths, and hair washing when your power is out for days, on more than one occasion.
- FIRE provides light so you don’t fall down the stairs, stub your toe on furniture, or poke yourself in the eye with your mascara brush when the power is out, yet again.
- FIRE makes you appreciate electricity.
- FIRE, again, provides light, so when frustration or complete boredom overtakes you (being without power for days) you can attempt to assemble your fake Christmas tree and convince yourself that you are talented enough to decorate it – by firelight alone. BEWARE, this can cause laughter, or at least a smile, when the power returns and you discover that you are not quite as talented at decorating by firelight as you may have thought.
- FIRE provides the perfect lighting to hide puffy eyes, caused by those damned tears, always making you look better than you would by electric lighting.
- 7. FIRE can make anything you wrote down on paper in anger, disappear – good advice to keep in mind – one of my favorites.
- FIRE, in an insert, has the ability to melt almost anything sitting on top of the insert, therefore, making fire a great reminding device, like an alarm clock, to remove said item, only stinkier and harder to clean up.
- FIRE is directly related to smoke and smoke sets off an alarm in the house, reminding you that you forgot to open the flue in the fireplace. Again, another great reminding device. Who would have thought that fire could have so many helpful uses?
More reasons to be thankful for FIRE:
- FIRE provides light to read books by (another favorite of mine).
- FIRE can set an ambiance for romance, relaxation, or a calm environment for meditation (something I should probably look into).
- FIRE fuels my “foo-foo” candles that smell so good and help my mood.
- FIRE makes for a perfect campout with spooky stories.
- FIRE fuels camp stoves for goulash or perfect summer BBQ grilling.
- FIRE can mesmerize, helping clear your mind.
Well, that’s the end of my ramblings… for now.
Please feel free to share your thoughts, your thankful for’s, or your version of Sticky Magic. You can never have too many coping mechanisms – sometimes, you may need more than 1 on a particular day.
For those of you who stuck through this to the very end, I thank you. This, too, is a type of therapy for me.
I am thankful for all of you!
Come Join the STICKY MAGIC CLUB, it may even make you smile.
Cheers!
T.
The beauty Mother Nature provides…
Made it to Friday!
Good morning all,
